Bedford rl light recovery 376 alc ex - afs

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Just a quick posting to let you know I have bought a Bedford RL Light Recovery Truck. Thanks to some valuable help, I have been informed that it is an ex AFS vehicle , supplied to the Durham AFS, then later to Flintshire fire brigade.

It needs restoration on the cab, and the braking system . If anyone can help with cab panels or wheel cylinders for a 1962 RL please let me know !

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I have crawled over several of the ex AFS Rcys especially 377 ALC which was the Scottish one- (they were allocated one per home defence region) , I have also crawled over several ex REME ones and couldn't find any difference; The Rcy were the only batch of AFS vehicles to have an unmodified military pattern cab, all the other batches of RL had a solid cab roof and the Commer Q4s had many changes for AFS use , but the Bedford RLC Rcy were unmolested !

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Excellent machine! For (some) cab panels, try Brian Whiteside (nr Poole) (Wimbourne). He has some other stuff too. Rhys Hughes (Fishguard) also has loads of RL stuff. Are the panels beyond repair??

It is fantastic to see one the of rare ex-AFS wreckers still in existence, and your photos show clearly some of the interesting mods at the rear end.

There is a really nice guy out there (Tony) who has lovingly created a beauty of an AFS wrecker from the "standard" army version, with these AFS mods. In recent years he has taken it to the Welland Steam Rally as part of an AFS event, but unfortunately that won't be repeated this year. You may well know him...

I am the current custodian of two ex REME wreckers which I am absolutely mad on. At end of May, REME are arriving as near to my home as they can get with a MAN SVR + trailer to "borrow" YSU 350 for a ReccyMech get-together and action day with some other, BIG, ex REME wreckers, including Scammell and Foden EKA. YSU 350 still needs some work on the cab, but wiring, air, and brakes are all renewed. Still work to do on it. The other I haven't yet touched, but it drove 100 miles OK before it overheated. (Turns out the engine block cooling is blocked up.)

I have an original copy of the User Handbook which I am going to get copied and when it is done, if you want, you are welcome to a copy.

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Wrecker is a description we seem to have inherited from over the pond, in the English language it is 'someone who wrecks or destroys'. Many years ago I had a severe ticking off from a REME officer when I referred to his Fodens as wreckers:embarrassed: "They are recovery vehicles, they don't go out wrecking anything" he barked.

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Yes - An Americanism, I'm sure. We should call things by the correct name. So from now on it will be "Tractor, 3 Ton, GS, Recovery, Light, 4 x 4, Bedford, RL"! Regards.

Wrecker is a description we seem to have inherited from over the pond, in the English language it is 'someone who wrecks or destroys'. Many years ago I had a severe ticking off from a REME officer when I referred to his Fodens as wreckers:embarrassed: "They are recovery vehicles, they don't go out wrecking anything" he barked.

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Can any one please tell me how many Bedford RL wreckers were made, please, a lad on Bedford Owners on FB recons only 10 were made I would imagine a lot more than that made it, seeing as how successful the RL was.

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Just a quick update - Work has progressed (slowly) - all the brakes are now overhauled , and I have been collecting panels for the cab re-build, which will progress ( slowly) this winter. I have been distracted by an Eager Beaver .... I attach a photo of the Bedford , withy my father stood next to it - we were about to use the jib to take down a large tree branch. ( And yes I know its on singles on the back, the other tyres are just being added), and no , I wont go on the road like this ......